General Overview

Formed in 1823, Wayne County is the birthplace of the Church of Latter Day Saints, an important stop on the Underground Railroad, and a fertile fruit growing region. Situated on the shore of Lake Ontario, Wayne is the northeastern-most county in the Finger Lakes region. Wayne is the third-largest county by population in the region, after Monroe and Ontario, and the largest in the region by land area.

Trends in Wayne County largely mirror the region, with declining median income, a shrinking and aging population, and increasing child poverty; yet, homes are affordable and most crime rates are falling. Although tourism revenue is the lowest in the region and has fallen substantially, the county is home to several interesting spots, including Chimney Bluffs State Park and Hill Cumorah, an historic site where Joseph Smith said he found the golden tablets which were the basis for the Book of Mormon and which hosts an annual Mormon pageant.

Demographic Overview

Wayne’s population is falling, but is still higher than most counties in the region:

In 2015, Wayne was home to over 91,000 residents, making it the third largest county in the region behind Monroe and Ontario. Wayne accounted for 7.5% of the total regional population.

Wayne lost 2.5% of its population from 2000 to 2015, in comparison to increases nationally (14%), statewide (4%), and for the region as a whole (1.4%). However, Wayne and Genesee had the least amount of decrease than the other counties surrounding Monroe

Wayne County's population is aging:

The number of residents aged 60 to 84 grew by 46% from 2000 to 2015, while the 85 and older age group grew by 30%. Both figures are comparable to large increases nationally, regionally, and for most regional counties.

During the same period, Wayne’s population under 20 shrank by 21% (a greater decrease than for the state and region), while its population aged 20 to 39 declined by 16% (also more than the state and region).

From 2000 to 2015, Wayne’s Asian and Hispanic populations grew by 51% and 71% respectively, while the African American and white populations shrank by 4% each.

Wayne, with a population that is 94% white, is less diverse than the state (70% white) and region (83% white). Hispanics made up 4% of the total population, African Americans 3%, and Asian residents under 1%.

Wayne has seen a drop in the share of households composed of married couples with children:

In 2011-15, 19% of Wayne households were composed of married couples with children, similar to the region (17%) and on par with the state. The rate is 7 points lower than in 2000.

Over the same period, the share of households composed of married couples without children remained steady at 32%, and those living alone raised 4 points to 26% in 2011-15.

Arts, Culture and Leisure

Wayne has both the lowest tourism revenue per resident in the region and the greatest decrease since 2005:

In 2015, tourism revenue was $446 per resident, well below the state ($3,186), region ($1,290), and every county in the region.

Wayne’s revenue per resident fell by 9% from 2005 to 2015, compared to increases for the state (16%) and region (6%).

Wayne County also had the largest regional decrease in recreational tourism revenue, dropping from $30 per resident in 2005 to $20 in 2015, and tied with Livingston for the lowest rate in the region.

Children and Youth

Child poverty was relatively low in Wayne but has increased more than the nation and state since 2000:

In 2011-15, 19% of Wayne’s children lived below the poverty line, a bit lower than the region (21%), state, and nation (both 22%).

From 2000 to 2011-15, the poverty rate increased by 7 points, a larger increase than for the nation (5 points), state (2 points), and on par with the region.

Consistent with regional trends, Wayne County has experienced an increase in the proportion of single-parent families:

In 2011-15, 36% of Wayne families were headed by a single parent, close to the nation and state (35% and 37% respectively), and below the region (39%).

Wayne’s rate rose by 7 points from 2000 to 2011-15, a greater increase than the state (4 points) and similar to the region (8 points) and nation (6 points).

In 2014, 76% of Wayne mothers received prenatal care in the first trimester, similar to the state (75%) and below the region (79%).

The rate of pregnancies among 15- to 19-year-olds declined throughout the decade from 4.9% in 2000 to 2.2% in 2014. Wayne’s 2014 rate was below the state (3.3%) and region (2.5%).

Wayne’s rate of low-weight births in 2014 (7.2%) is a bit lower than the region and state (both 7.8%), but rose by almost 1.5 points from 2000 (compared to little change for the state, region, and nation).

Community Engagement

Voter registration in Wayne County matched state, and regional rates:

In 2015, 78% of eligible voting-age adults were registered to vote, higher than the state (75%), and on par with the region (78%).

Wayne’s voter registration rate fell by 7 points from 2000, a larger decrease than for the state and region (both down 4 points over that period).

In the 2014 midterm election, 36% of eligible voters in Wayne turned out to vote, down 2 points from 2010 but higher than for the state (25%) and region (35%). Turnout for the 2012 presidential election (52%) was higher than most of the surrounding counties and the state (46%) but just below the nation (54%) and the region as a whole (55%).

Wayne County’s registered borrowers decreased by almost 40% since 2000, but library visits have increased:

In 2015, 52% of Wayne’s county library system were registered borrowers, below the state (57%) and region (64%).

The number of library visits has increased 34% in Wayne, higher than the state and region.

Charitable giving in Wayne County lagged behind some regional counties:

On average, Wayne County residents gave about $2,608 in 2013, far below the nation ($4,999), state ($5,516) and region ($3,409) but above Wyoming.

Charitable giving increased 3% since 2002, compared to an 11% increase at the national level and 9% increase for the state.

Economy

The unemployment rate has fallen since the Great Recession, but is still higher than the region:

In 2015, the unemployment rate in Wayne was 5.4%, similar to the nation and state, but slightly above the region (5.2%).

The unemployment rate fell 3.4 points from its peak in 2010, but remains almost 2 points above its low of 3.8% in 2000.

In Wayne, total jobs declined less than 1% from 2000 to 2015, though some sectors performed better than others relative to the region:

Wayne’s 0.8% decline compares to growth of 15% for the nation, 16% for the state, and 2% for the region as a whole.

Two of Wayne’s three largest sectors – Manufacturing and Government – shrank, by 14% and 2% respectively, compared to decreases of 34% and 2% for the region. The other largest sector – Trade, Transportation, and Utilities – decreased by 9%, compared to regional growth of 6%.

Wayne’s share of regional jobs was disproportionately lower than its share of regional population – in 2015, Wayne had 8% of the total regional population, but made up just 6% of the total regional jobs.

Wayne’s growth in average salary outpaced the region:

From 2000 to 2015, the average salary in Wayne grew by 11%, compared to increases of 9% for the nation and state, and 5% for the region. However, Wayne’s salary grew less than several regional counties.

In 2015, Wayne’s average salary was $40,500, lower than the nation ($52,900), state ($67,500), and region ($47,100).

Education

Prekindergarten participation has increased dramatically and is now higher than the state and region:

In 2015, 59% of eligible children participated in prekindergarten, higher than the rate for the state (47%), region (42%), and most regional counties.

Wayne’s rate rose by 54 points from 2001 to 2015, a much greater increase than for the state and region (up by 33 and 31 points respectively over that period).

Performance on state tests was mixed, but generally on par or worse than the region:

Student performance on grade 8 math was on par with the region (15%) but below the state (24%).

Wayne students fared a bit worse than the region on 3rd grade English (34% vs. 37%) and 4th grade math (38% vs. 45%).

A notable exception was on the Common Core Algebra 1 Regents exam, which 81% of Wayne students passed, versus 75% for the region. The passing rate in Wayne was about even with the region on Regents English (88%).

The four-year graduation rate in Wayne was 82% in 2016, about even with the state (81%) but lower than the region (84%).

Wayne County adults age 25 and over had less formal education than in the region, state or nation:

In 2011-15, 53% of adults in Wayne had attended at least some college, compared to 61% in the region and 59% in the state and nation. Wayne also had a much lower rate of adults who had attained a bachelor’s or higher (21%) than the state (34%), nation (30%), and region (31%).

Total spending per student by school districts in Wayne County was $20,600 in 2015, below the state ($22,600) and about level with the region ($20,800). Wayne’s rate rose by 46% from 2000 to 2015, about the same as the state (48%) and region (45%).

Financial Self-Sufficiency

Wayne’s median household income, once among the highest in the region, has fallen considerably since 2000:

In 2011-15, the median household income in Wayne was $50,800, below the nation ($53,900), state ($59,300), and region ($52,300).

From 2000 to 2011-15, median income fell by 19% in Wayne, a greater decrease than nationally (10%), statewide (4%), and for the region (15%). Wayne’s drop exceeded every other county in the region.

Despite increasing from 2000, the poverty rate in Wayne is lower than the state, nation, and region:

In 2011-15, 13% of Wayne residents lived below the poverty line, versus 16% for the state, 15% for the nation, and 14% for the region.

Wayne’s rate rose by 4 points from 2000 to 2011-15, a greater increase than for the state (1 point) and nation (3 points) but on par with the region.

In Wayne county 1.2% of the population received temporary assistance, below the state (2.9%) and region (3.1%). Similar to trends in other regional counties, Wayne experienced an increase in the number of residents receiving temporary assistance, up 0.3 points from 2001 to 2015 similar to the region and above the state (-0.7%).

In 2015, Wayne served 8.0 emergency meals per resident—more than quadruple the number served per resident in 2000.

Health

The rate of uninsured has fallen slightly and remains below the state and nation:

In 2014, 8% of Wayne residents lacked health insurance, similar to the region (7%) but below the nation and state (14% and 10% respectively).

Wayne’s uninsured rate fell by 3 points from 2008 to 2014, similar to the decreases at the state, nation, region and surrounding counties over the same timeframe.

Like other counties in the region, the mortality rate has decreased in Wayne:

In 2014, there were 696 deaths per 100,000 residents, above the rate of 618 for the state and 685 for the region.

The rate fell by 20% from 2000 to 2014, greater than the regional decrease of 16%, but smaller than the statewide decrease of 23%.

The rate of chlamydia infections has doubled since 2001, but remains lower than the state, region, and most regional counties.

In 2014, Wayne had the second-lowest rate of doctors among every regional county at only 8 per 10,000 residents. This is considerably lower than the state (37), and regional (32) rates in 2014 and continues the decrease seen in Wayne since 2002, despite increases across the state, region and surrounding counties as a whole.

Housing

Median home values have fallen in Wayne and remain lower than the nation and state:

In 2011-15, the median home value in Wayne was $112,900, below the nation ($178,600), state ($283,400), and region ($128,700).

Wayne’s median home value fell 2.5% from 2000 to 2011-15, similar to the regional decrease (2.2%) and in contrast to increases for the state and nation.

In 2011-15, the homeownership rate in Wayne was 78%, unchanged from 2000. This rate was higher than the region (68%), state (54%), and nation (64%).

Although housing and rent have become more unaffordable over time, both are more affordable in Wayne than the state, nation, and region:

In 2011-15, the ratio of median home value to median income was 1.9, on par with the region, and lower than the state (3.5), and nation (2.6). A ratio below 3 or 4 is considered affordable.

The ratio rose 18% from 2000 to 2011-15, a smaller increase than the nation (23%) and state (43%) but similar to the region (17%).

In 2011-15, 32% of renters’ income went to rent, similar to the nation and below the state and region. The rate rose by 5 points from 27% in 2000, slightly less than the point-increases seen across the region, state and nation (each 6 or higher). A rate of 30% or below is considered affordable.

Public Safety

From 2000 to 2015, the rate of serious crime in Wayne fell 25% (from 229 to 173 per 10,000 residents), a slightly smaller decrease than in the region, state, and nation over that timeframe. The rate stood at 173 per 10,000 residents, lower than the state, region, and nation, but above most regional counties.

The rate of violent crimes in Wayne increased from 13 to 22 per 10,000 residents from 2000 to 2015, much greater than the increase in the region and in sharp contrast to the decreases across the country and state over the same timeframe.

The property crime rate fell to 151 per 10,000 residents in 2015, a 30% decrease from 2000. This was similar to the decrease across the nation and a bit less than decreases in the state and region.

The rate of juvenile delinquency intakes in Wayne decreased between 2000 and 2015, falling 12% to 137 per 10,000 children between ages 7 and 16. This rate is more than double the rate of 51 across the state and 56 in the region.